Thursday 23 February

Filed under Lent by on February 22, 2012 at 7:30 pm {no comments}

Reading:
1 John 1:3-10

Reflection:
Today’s section from John’s first letter offers us a clear guideline for finding “fellowship” – connected relationship – with God and others. It may surprise you to see that John recommends repentance as a key foundational feature of strong relationships. The truth here is quite simple. If we claim to be living one way, but actually live another, it’s like living in darkness – we can’t connect with God, because we’re deceiving ourselves, and others can’t connect with us because they don’t know who we are. The time when we are most likely to do this is when there is something in us that we regret or are ashamed of, and so we hide our true selves. But, all that happens is that our relationships with God and others break down.

If we want real connection, we need to be real. We can only find true intimacy when we are willing to admit to the sin and brokenness in us. It’s in all of us, and when we bring it out into the open, it can be healed and forgiven. Then we can connect with God, because we know God’s forgiving love, and we can connect with others because they can trust us, knowing that what they see is real.

How can you practice this “living in the light” today?

Practice for Today:
One of the best ways to “live in the light” is to make the practice of confession a habit. All this means is that, when we know we have done something wrong, or we have hurt another person, we simply acknowledge it, and ask for forgiveness. Remember to be willing to do what it takes to make it right, though.

Breath-Prayer for Today:
Show me where I need to change, O God, and give me the grace to do it.

Ash Wednesday 22 February

Filed under Lent by on February 21, 2012 at 7:30 pm {no comments}

Reading:
Matthew 6:1-6, 16-21

Reflection:
There are three disciplines that are commonly practiced in the Lenten season – prayer, giving and fasting. Each one connects with one of the big three temptations that we all face. Prayer confronts our temptation to power, since you can’t pray when you think you’re in control. Giving confronts our temptation to accumulate wealth for it’s own sake. Fasting confronts our temptation to allow our bodily appetites and addictions to control us. During Lent, we are invited to focus more intentionally on confronting our temptations and learning, like Jesus, to overcome them and live with humility, simplicity and discipline – which, although it may not sound like it in today’s world, is actually the best and most abundant way to live.

Today is Ash Wednesday which begins the Lenten journey, so it’s a good time to decide how you will observe the three Lenten practices in the next 40 days. Don’t just “give something up” for Lent – choose a fast that can take you deeper into God’s grace. Don’t just “put something in the collection” – choose a habit of giving that will lead you into greater appreciation for what you have. Don’t just “say a few prayers” – choose to practice prayer through a life lived in union with God at all times.

How will you embrace the Lenten practices in the next 40 days?

Practice for Today:
Today’s practice is actually not just for today, but for the whole of Lent. Start your practice of prayer, fasting and giving today, but continue it throughout the Lenten season.

Breath-Prayer for Today:
Today, instead of a breath-prayer, carry the Lord’s Prayer with you. You can find it in the verses that were skipped in today’s reading. Repeat it throughout the day.

Tuesday 21 February

Filed under Epiphany by on February 20, 2012 at 7:30 pm {no comments}

Reading:
1 Timothy 3:14-16

Reflection:
Today is Shrove Tuesday, which is traditionally the last day of feasting and celebration before the Lenten fast. It is appropriate, then, that our reading today should give us one final feast of Christ’s glory before the journey to share Christ’s suffering. The old apostle, writing to this young pastor, affirms the truth of Christ’s life and message, and the truth of what the Church is. It’s a glorious picture of a community founded on the One who is the truth, and of a Christ who revealed God’s glory to the whole world – seen and unseen!

It is clear again, though, that we cannot encounter Jesus without making a response of some kind. It is the vision of Jesus’ life that shows us how we are to live as those in the “household of God”. Jesus brought life and grace to people – he gave them an experience of God’s glory – not just through his preaching, but through the way he viewed them and treated them. In the same way, God asks that our words, actions and attitudes reveal God’s grace and love to others, so that they too can be drawn to faith in Christ.

Who needs you to treat them in a Christlike way today? How can you best do this?

Practice for Today:
At the threshold of Lent, now would be a good time to make a new commitment to following Jesus, and living in a Christlike way. Why not reaffirm your commitment in all the aspects of your life as you go through your day today?

Breath-Prayer for Today:
I believe in you, Jesus, and I commit myself again to following your ways in my life.

Monday 20 February

Filed under Epiphany by on February 19, 2012 at 7:30 pm {no comments}

Reading:
Exodus 19:7-25

Reflection:
After bringing the Israelites out of their slavery in Egypt, God was anxious to connect with God’s people, and to begin the work of forming them into a nation for God’s glory. Moses has done as he was instructed and has brought the people to the foot of Mount Sinai. Now God tells Moses to prepare the people to meet with God. There is much fear, a clear sense that if people tried to get too close they would die. The belief that underlies this idea is that God’s holiness would burn up sin like paper in a fire, killing the sinner. What the people seemed to miss, though – if their reaction to God in 20:19 is anything to go by – is that God wanted a relationship with them.

The miracle for us is that we no longer fear God’s glory and presence, because we have no reason to believe we will be killed. Jesus has shown us how deeply committed God is to us, and how much God longs for intimacy with us, and so now God’s glory can be a place of comfort, healing and safety. The danger for us is not death, but the familiarity that breeds contempt.

How can you find a home in God’s glory today, without taking God’s love and grace for granted?

Practice for Today:
The old practice of invocation – of asking for God’s presence and glory to be with us – is a good way to stay aware of God’s love. Why not practice invocation in every situation today?

Breath-Prayer for Today:
Help me, O God, to find a home in your glory, no matter what I face today.

Sunday 19 February

Filed under Epiphany by on February 18, 2012 at 7:30 pm {no comments}

Thought for the Week:
The Church Calendar is soon to change again. From our current season of Epiphany (or after Epiphany), we will soon be embarking on the journey of penitence and preparation that we know as Lent. Beginning on Wednesday, Lent was traditionally a time of preparation for baptismal candidates who would be baptised on Easter Sunday. While we may not be looking forward to baptism, we are preparing for the important spiritual exercise of Holy Week, and the Easter season that follows it.

But, before we get there, this Sunday invites us to witness what must have been one of the most beautiful and important experiences for the three disciples that Jesus called to accompany him. Peter, James and John got a glimpse of the glorified Jesus, and witnessed both the appearance of Moses and Elijah, and the affirming voice of God. But, what they didn’t realise was that this was a turning point for Jesus. His conversation with the two great Old Testament leaders revealed that he was to fulfil, in himself, everything that the law and the prophets had promised. The voice of God gave Jesus the strength, courage and assurance that the road he was to walk was the right one, no matter what lay ahead. And when everything had returned to normal, Jesus reminded the disciples of what he had already told them – he would die and rise again.

The vision of God’s glory was a gift to Jesus and the disciples to sustain them through the tough trials ahead. Now, the Epiphany vision of God’s glory becomes a gift to us, to sustain us through the difficult, but life-giving, work of Lent. In these last few days before Ash Wednesday, why not take some extra time to prepare your heart for what is to come?

______________________________

Reading:
Mark 9:2-9

Reflection:
Throughout the Epiphany season, we have received glimpses of God’s glory as it is revealed through Jesus. We have heard the message of God’s Reign and we have seen it in action. But what has been clear from all of this is that God has not been “showing off”. The manifestations of God’s grace and power through Jesus have all been for the purpose of communication. And as we witness God’s glory, as we hear God’s message, we are called to respond, as the first disciples did, with our lives.

In the transfiguration, God communicates in an awesome way, because the message is an awesome message – Jesus is God’s beloved child, and we are to listen to him. And what Jesus shows us in this moment of glory is that the life of love and justice that he was committed to would bring suffering and death. In the same way, if we seek to follow Jesus into this loving life, we must expect the pain of wrestling against hatred and injustice wherever we find it.

How can you open yourself to God’s glory a little more today? How can you allow this vision of glory to lead you deeper in your commitment to love and life?

Practice for Today:
It takes courage to live as a follower of Jesus, and nothing releases courage in our hearts like a vision of God’s glory. To open yourself to God’s glory today, why not take every opportunity to notice the glory around you, and to celebrate it in praise?

Breath-Prayer for Today:
Give me eyes to see your glory, God, and ears to hear the message it proclaims.

Saturday 18 February

Filed under Epiphany by on February 17, 2012 at 7:30 pm {2 comments}

Reading:
Luke 19:41-44

Reflection:
The Gospel of Luke gives us a glimpse into Jesus’ heart as he rode into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday. There may have been celebration and singing, but for Jesus there was grief. God had been revealed to God’s people in so many ways over the centuries. God’s ways had been taught and God’s peace and justice proclaimed. Now, through the ministry of Jesus, God’s Reign had been revealed as never before. However, in spite of all this, the people had failed to recognise God’s presence among them. They had failed to see and embrace the values of peace and justice that would bring life to God’s people and, through them, to the world. Jesus grieves because this “blindness” has consequences. Ultimately, since they have rejected peace, they will become victims of war – defeated, conquered and vulnerable.

Seeing God’s glory is about more than just having a blessed experience of God’s presence and love. It is also about being changed into carriers of God’s justice and peace. When we fail to recognise this, we actually miss God’s glory altogether. But, when we embrace the transforming challenge of God’s glory, we become channels of God’s peace, justice, grace and compassion to the world.

Where in your life do you still have blind spots to God’s glory? Where is God’s glory challenging you to change and become a channel for healing change to others? How can you open yourself to this manifestation of God’s glory today?

Practice for Today:
When we leave our worship gatherings we often receive a benediction – a good word – that invites us to take the vision of God that we have enjoyed in our worship out into the world. Each day we can continue this “benedicting” in our own lives, opening us to the possibilities for God’s presence, justice and healing in our corner of the world. Why not practice speaking “good words” through the day?

Breath-Prayer for Today:
Let me see your glory and let others see your healing glory through me.

Friday 17 February

Filed under Epiphany by on February 16, 2012 at 7:30 pm {no comments}

Reading:
Psalm 50:1-6

Reflection:
We easily pray to see God’s glory, and so we should! But, we may not be aware of the implications of our prayers. Today’s Psalm shows us that God is always seeking to reveal God’s self to us, and make God’s glory known. But, when God is seen or experienced in a new way, the world changes – or at least, it changes for us. In a similar way, we are changed – we are “judged”. This is less about God “punishing” us, and more about how God’s glory “evaluates” or “measures” us, exposing both the good and the not so good in us.

If we seek encounters with God we need to recognise that our experience of God will challenge us, we must be willing to have our goodness revealed and to receive a call to continue to be “in covenant” with God. We must also be willing to have our “injustices” exposed, and for God to challenge us to live in ways that are more closely aligned with God’s justice.

Are you ready to encounter God in this way? In what ways can you prepare your heart to be more open to true, transforming encounters with God?

Practice for Today:
Whenever we gather for worship we begin with an “invocation”, a request for God’s presence and Spirit to move among us and within us. The invocation helps us to open our hearts and minds to God’s revelation of God’s self to us. Today, practice invoking God’s presence in every situation.

Breath-Prayer for Today:
 Show me your glory, O God.

Thursday 16 February

Filed under Epiphany by on February 15, 2012 at 7:30 pm {no comments}

Reading:
2 Corinthians 2:12-17

Reflection:
We begin now to move into the last part of the Epiphany season. In a few days we will gather for Ash Wednesday, and then move into the discipline and penitence of the Lenten season. But, before we get there, we must first journey with Jesus and his disciples to the top of a mountain and witness the glory of the Transfiguration. Today we begin our preparation for our celebration for this amazing event.

In Paul’s letter we read that followers of Christ are called to “spread the knowledge of Christ”. We often understand this to be about telling other people about our faith and challenging them to make a commitment to Christ. But, here the Apostle speaks of the “fragrance” of our lives. It’s not only about our words, but about how we live. Some people will react negatively to the grace and justice of God. But, for many people, the thing that will make the biggest difference is when they experience God’s presence and love – God’s “fragrance” – through who we are, what we do and how we treat them. In this way we become those who reveal God’s glory to the world.

In what ways does your life spread the fragrance of Christ? How can you grow this characteristic in your life?

Practice for Today:
If we seek to reflect the glory of God, we need to open ourselves to see and experience God’s glory. The practice of praise is designed to do exactly this for us. Today, seek to praise God in all things, not just through your words, but through God-honouring actions and attitudes as well.

Breath-Prayer for Today:
I praise you for your glory, O God, which always seeks to be revealed in me and in the world

Wednesday 15 February

Filed under Epiphany by on February 14, 2012 at 7:30 pm {no comments}

Reading:
John 4:46-54

Reflection:

You may have been a little surprised by Jesus’ reaction to this government official in today’s reading. To understand what is going on, we need to read about the events before this. John’s Gospel starts, from Chapter Two, to show the difference between faith in miracles and faith in Jesus. John points out how the people were flocking to Jesus not because they believed in him, but because they hoped to see some amazing sign. The same thing seems to be happening here. John tells us that the Galileans welcomed Jesus because they had seen what he had done in Jerusalem during Passover (see verse 45). So, when this official came to ask for healing, Jesus was clearly frustrated by the constant call for miracles. He may not have been directing this comment to the official at all, but rather to the hopeful spectators who were hoping for another “show”. In the end, though, he does heal the man’s son, albeit in a very quiet, “non-showy” way.

This week we’ve been exploring the different ways that God calls us to follow Jesus in disciplined obedience. Today, the challenge is a tough one. If we are going to be true disciples of Christ we cannot avoid examining the true state of our hearts. Do we follow Jesus because of what we hope to receive or experience? Or do we follow Jesus because of who Jesus is and how Jesus wants to change us and use us? The two motivations are poles apart from one another – and we need to be sure we know which one is driving us.

Why are you following Jesus today?

Practice for Today:
The practice of examining the heart (sometimes called the prayer of examen) is an ancient spiritual discipline that seeks to ensure that our motives for following Christ are true and not self-centred. The key here is to recognise that our hearts are revealed through our words, our actions, our thoughts and our attitudes. Take time through the day to examine your life and take note of what it reveals about your heart.

Breath-Prayer for Today:
Show me the truth of my heart, O God, and make my motives pure.

Tuesday 14 February

Filed under Epiphany by on February 13, 2012 at 7:30 pm {no comments}

Reading:
1 Corinthians 10:14-11:1

Reflection:

There was a big issue in the Church of Paul’s day with Christ-followers eating food that had been sacrificed to idols. Much of the food that was sold in the markets of the day had come from the temples where these idols were worshipped. But, there was no simple way to respond to this problem. It seems that some were saying that idols were demons, and therefore no Christian should ever eat such food. Others were saying idols were nothing and so it didn’t matter what had happened to the food. In this passage Paul appears to argue both sides (compare verses 20-21 with verses 25-27). But, the crux comes when he explains how the decision to eat or not to eat must be made. Paul calls us to think not of what is good for us, but how our eating or not eating will affect others (see verse 33)!

The idea that our freedom in Christ and our following of Christ should be influenced by the feelings and the sensitivities of others is foreign to many of us today. We tend to expect others to change to suit us – we are the ones following Jesus, after all! But, that’s not how Paul sees it. He explains that we are to choose what we do according to what will best serve others – listening to their needs, their concerns and meeting them where they are in order to reveal God’s grace and love.

Who needs you to change to meet them at their point of need today?

Practice for Today:
A lot of Paul’s emphasis here is on evangelism – winning people for Christ. But, he is not calling us to “Bible-bash”. Rather he invites us to proclaim Christ’s grace in the acts of sensitive listening to others, and then in allowing Christ to be seen in our attentive care. Today, seek to listen more to others, and engage them with sensitivity to their needs and concerns.

Breath-Prayer for Today:
Jesus, give me listening ears and a sensitive heart, today.

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Note: The readings used for Daily Worship are taken from the Revised Common Lectionary Daily Readings, Copyright © 2005 The Consultation on Common Texts.

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